West-central and southern Bolivia (La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz southwards) south to northern Argentina (Salta); Andean foothills and lowlands in central and southern Chile (Bío-Bío to Magallanes) and south-western Argentina (Neuquén to Santa Cruz).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Striped Woodpecker (Veniliornis lignarius) [XC197044]
by Bobby Wilcox from Presa near Comarapa, Santa Cruz, Bolivia (song)
Striped Woodpecker (Veniliornis lignarius) [XC450225]
by Ignacio Escobar from Parque Nacional La Campana, Sector Caj\u00f3n, V Regi\u00f3n, Chile (call)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Checkered Woodpecker (Veniliornis mixtus). They seem to be genetically close and may be conspecific, but possible overlap of breeding ranges not well documented. Related more distantly to other American congeners. Birds of isolated northern population slightly smaller than those of Patagonia, with other morphological, plumage and genetic differences, probably representing a separate taxon, for which the name puncticeps is available.